Chapter Fourteen: A Dance of Petals

Toshiro and Momo sat at the dinner table eating breakfast together in a happy silence. She had wrapped her wound tight with medical gauze so she could move around with greater ease and had taken some pain relievers as well. She giggled when Toshiro tried to order her back to bed, but she won by placing a single, light kiss on his lips. She giggled again at the crimson blush on his cheeks and the shocked expression on his face. She was just in such a happy mood that it made her a tad bit bolder then usual, like nothing could bring her down.

Toshiro was replying the kiss over and over again in his head, sure they had been pecking each other's lips for a little while now but it had always been him to start them. He was afraid that she was just playing along as to not hurt his feelings or maybe she was afraid to see him get mad, though that idea never really set well with him since he knew she could easily defend herself. Now that she had been the one to start the kiss...did that mean she liked him too? Women are so damn confusing! Or maybe it's just him? Who knows anymore?!

"Are you feeling well, Shiro-chan?"

"Hm?" Hitsugaya looked up at her and snorted. "Will you quit calling me that?"

"Nope, maybe next time, Shiro-chan!" She giggled at him as he just snorted again at her. "I want to thank you...for last night and all." She watched him blush before he looked away to try and hide it. "I was wondering if you wanted to try painting on our project today?"

"Of course. I would like to see what you have drawn up." He smiled at her, trying hard not to jump for joy. He knew that her showing him her work was a sign of trust. His joy was sort lived when he received an odd message on his cell phone.

'It's high time we meet. I'll be waiting in the local park by the river.- Tobiume'

Toshiro blinked at the message before rereading it again and again. How did she get his number and why did the message seem a bit...off? He mentally shook his head, he needed to go, to tell her that he was in love with Hinamori and the games needed to stop. "Hey, I'm going to go out for a bit before we get started on that painting. I'll bring us some snacks, okay?"

Momo smiled as she nodded, watching him get up and leave. She waited for him to close the front door before she quickly raced to her room and began to rummage through her satchel. She pulled out her kimono and large hat before she began to undress herself and redress herself in the silken garment. She had read the text message without him knowing, it was easy to do with his cell phone's large screen and with the way he held it in his hand. She knew who ever the person was, they were not Tobiume.

She made her way outside, running as fast as she could. She hopped fences and ran through yards, going through dark alleyways as secret passages. It was a good thing she took those aspirin this morning as well as secured her side tightly. Her lips curled up into a smile as she jumped on a trash can to help her hop over a tall chain link fence, she missed this, in a sense. Of course, living like this for three years would probably do that to a person.

Momo knew that he was already at the park, his car far faster then her no matter how fast she ran, but that was a good thing. If she beat him there, then he may just leave her there along with the fake! She entered the park and stopped briefly to catch her breath, her side along with her lungs burned, but this pain would be nothing compared to losing him to another, a fake at that!

~ With Toshiro~

Hitsugaya sighed heavily as he slowly made his way to the river, he was dreading this more then anyone could ever know. When he received that text message from Tobiume, he was saddened that it didn't come from Momo. He was secretly wishing that they were the same person, however when it came right down to it, he needed Hinamori in his life, not Tobiume.

How could all these events just be changing his schedule up a tiny bit? How was all this possible? He didn't know nor cared anymore, he was going to confront Tobiume, buy some sweets and some flowers for Momo and tell her that he loved her! This would be the day...if she said 'yes' of course.

"Toshiro." Hitsugaya quickly glanced up to see a girl waiting by the water side. She was a small little thing, no shape to her what-so-ever. He knew her to be a bit snobbish and hung around the popular kids. What was her name again? Linda? Sora! It was Sora...maybe. There was no way she was Tobiume, her intellect was far too low to pull off the clever games they had been playing and further more...she wasn't dressed in a kimono or even trying to hide herself!

"What do you want?" He snorted bitterly.

"What a way to greet me!" The girl shot back, clearly offended by his rude question. "I thought you'd be excited to see me!"

"You're not her and even if you were...I'm in love with someone else." Toshiro sighed deeply as he watched the girl's face fall before her eyes began to water.

"That's not true! I heard you were in love with Tobiume! With me...I mean..." She stuttered as she realized her folly.

"You heard wrong." He simply stated. Toshiro was about to speak again when he noticed the girl's eyes widen in what appeared to be surprise. He turned to see a very familiar kimono behind him. "To...Tobiume?" He watched her nod her head before he shook his own. "What...how did you find me? You didn't send me that text!" She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to play anymore. I'm in love with someone else. I'm in love with Momo Hinamori!" He puffed out his chest as he declared his love to another girl.

"Momo Hinamori?!" The other girl replied. "What's so special about her?!"

Tobiume smiled to herself. She was going to reveal herself when Toshiro had shouted her name, but it wouldn't hurt to find out what he loved about her first, would it? Nah, if anything...it would just make this day all the sweeter.

"She's everything I'm not. She's sweet and kind and loving. I can be myself around her and I don't have to try and force a conversation either. She's...she's so much more then words." Hitsugaya sighed as he then looked away from Tobiume. "Don't get me wrong, Tobiume, I have fun with you too and I like how flirty and confident you are but...Momo's just...I want her...need her."

"Oh god! I think I'm going to be sick!" The fake spoke before she threw her hands up into the air and began to walk off. "I thought you were cool, Hitsugaya, not a sap."

Toshiro snorted as he watched the girl walk away before he turned his attention back to the cloaked figure. "I'm sorry if I hurt you, but it would hurt everyone more if we just continued this game. I would like to remain friends but...that's up to you." Just as he said that, his phone began to vibrate. He sighed before he took it out of his pocket and sighed again when he saw it was from Matsumoto. "This had better be good." He grumbled before he opened the text and read the message.

His eyes widened as a cold shock ran up and down his spine. This...this couldn't be! How...? Hitsugaya glanced back up to Tobiume, who was tilting her head to the side as if asking a question. His stomach was quivering and his hands were sweaty. This...was a dream come true! He swallowed hard, finding that his mouth had gone dry for some reason, before he placed the cell phone back into his pocket. "Momo...Hinamori. You're Momo Hinamori...aren't you?"

Tobiume smiled again, before she bowed her head and swept an arm out as if to formally greet him for the first time. She knew that he would find out eventually, she knew that he would reach out for help and finally shine the spot light down upon her little world, but right now...she didn't care. He had declared his love to Momo, not this character she played from behind the computer screen and oh, how lovely she felt right now.

Upon finishing her bow, she slowly removed the large straw hat, revealing her large, golden honey eyes and her silky, black hair that was currently in a high ponytail. She giggled as she watched him blush and slightly tremble in front of her, it seemed as if he liked this dance she was performing for him, this shedding of skin in a way.

"I am indeed Momo Hinamori." Momo spoke in a soft tone that carried a type of magic to it. "And you are Hyorinmaru." She giggled when her voice broke him from his trance. Hinamori smirked as he made his way to her, but just when she was in arms reach, she side stepped away from his grasp, twirling as she did so, causing her elegant kimono to flow in the wind.

Toshiro watched her in awe, stunned to silence by such grace, before he himself smirked at her small game of 'keep away'. It seemed to him, that once she was dressed as Tobiume, Momo became a bit more playful, or maybe it was all just for him? He didn't care, for as of right now, he was trying to catch that dancing petal from the flying plum tree.

When he approached, she swayed away. When he danced toward, she would gracefully dance backwards. It had seemed like a rehearsed play almost, but the giggles and chuckles and soft words of love told on lookers that it was no play, but a lover's dance. A dance of two petals, floating in the wind.

~ Back At Toshiro's House~~~~~~~~

It took some convincing on Toshiro's part, but they had finally made it back home and gotten her to sit on the couch, though for some reason, he wanted Momo to remain in her kimono for a while longer, though he never said as to why.

"How's your side doing?" He asked as he sat next to her, running his fingers against the fabric of her dress. "You didn't reopen anything did you?"

"Nope! I'm perfectly fine!" Momo giggled as she watched him fiddle around with her kimono sleeve. "You moved very well out there in the park. I thought you were going to catch me before I wanted you to." Her voice rang with her happiness.

"Oh? You let me catch you, then?" He teased back, poking her shoulder playfully.

"Indeed I did." She teased back, laughing at his pouting face.

"You know...I've been thinking..." He smirked suddenly before he drew her closer to him, his breath mingling with hers in short puffs. "About that kiss we shared in the locker room. Do you remember it?" He gave out a small chuckle as she only nodded her head. It seemed like the close distance was leaving her foggy. "I was wondering if we could try that again, no blindfold this time, of course."

"I...I'd like that." Momo whispered before she gently placed her lips on his, shy and sweet at first just like the time before. It took no time at all before she could feel his tongue run against her bottom lip, drawing out a small moan in which he swallowed as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth to deepen the kiss.

Momo smiled against his lips before she pulled away, much to his dismay. She was feeling light-headed from the lack of air and his roaming hands that seemed to glide from the top of her shoulder blades to the very small of her back. She nuzzled her cheek against his neck before she got off him completely and off of the couch. "We have work to do, remember?"

Toshiro nodded, sad that she ended the kiss for school work but happy to be working with her all the same. "Are you sure I'll be able to help? My part is going to look horrible next to yours." He watched her wiggle her finger before she went upstairs. Toshiro had half a mind to follow her, but his legs nor arms heeded his command. It had been a big day and it had only started, what would the rest of the day be like? His thoughts were broken as he heard her grunting as she came down the stairs, carrying her satchel and what looked to be a large bag of sorts, the one they picked up from her home when they first got her out of the hospital if he remembered right.

Toshiro rushed to the bottom of the stairs, gently working the bag out of her hands before offering his free one for her to use as support. "All that running must have taken a lot out of me." Momo chuckled as she caught his worried gaze. 'I'm fine though, no worries."

"If you need help carrying things down the stairs then you're not fine." Toshiro huffed as he led her to the couch and helped her sit down. After he sat her down, he began to pull things out of the large bag: a tarp, an isle, brushes and paints, and finally the canvas. He tried to see what was drawn on it, but it seemed to have been...erased?

Momo giggled as she watched him squint and move the canvas to the left and right to try and catch more light so he may see the image. "I used charcoal and then erased it to leave the faintest of shadows."

"Why?" Toshiro asked as he placed the board on the couch and began to lay out the tarp and sat up the isle on top of it. "I can't even really see the drawing."

"It would do no good to have the charcoal come through the paint, that's not the effect we're going for." She the stood up and held her hand in his. "Don't worry, my eyes are trained to see what yours can't and I'll be here to guide you all the way."

"Okay." He whispered before holding her hand tighter in his. If she guided him through this painting like she did in their dance, then he'd have nothing to fear.